Ask TSL: Are Brita Water Pitchers Made From Safe Plastic?
February 9, 2008 by Alicia
Filed under Ask TSL, Featured, Food Storage Containers, Reusable Bottles for Adults, Safer Materials
We’ve been asked a lot lately about the safety of Brita pitchers. Many parents use Brita to filter and store water for mixing baby formula and juices. It makes good sense to scrutinize all food and beverage containers when trying to remove BPA from your child’s environment.
UPDATE 9/17/09: While you may not be able to find information on Brita’s website regarding BPA, you can call them at (800) 24 BRITA for the scoop. The first thing you’ll hear is a statement confirming that each of their products is 100% BPA-free.
We checked with Simple Steps to find the answer. Here’s what they learned in speaking with the Brita company:
A company representative tells us that there are 2 main parts to the pitchers. The clear bottom part which holds the filtered water is made from 100% styrene acrylonitrile and the reservoir part of the pitcher (as well as the filter canister which goes inside) is made of 100% polypropylene. Therefore, it appears that Brita filter pitchers do not contain any polycarbonate plastic and are not made from the same material as Nalgene or Avent baby bottles. That’s good news for Brita users.
The Green Guide also recommends Brita pitchers as a safe option in their article, “Are Brita Containers Safe?”
UPDATE 4/2/08: In response to a comment left by one of our readers questioning the safety of styrene, we thought it would help to include the whole article by The Green Guide regarding the possibility of leaching. Also, please keep in mind that there are many different types of plastic made with styrene, such as polystyrene, which is known to leach toxins into food.
Are Brita Containers Safe?
by Carolyn Banta
A reader writes The Green Guide:
I use a 2-gallon Brita filter system. I recently discovered that the container is made of styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer. Will this type of plastic leak chemicals into my water? If so, is there an inexpensive alternative that you would recommend? I’m sure many of your readers use a Brita system and would benefit from knowing about this plastic.
Thanks, Michael Lande
The Green Guide responds:
It is true that Brita filter systems use containers made from styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer, which is a polymer (a combination of molecules) primarily used in the production of acrylic sheeting, molding powders and resin and surface coatings. According to Brita, the company manufactures containers made from styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer to avoid leaching.
Brita’s information on leaching came from the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), which performs extensive material safety tests. The NSF states that Brita pitchers have been tested for material safety while in contact with “very aggressive water” (i.e. exposure to water with low total of dissolved solids and .5 ppm of available chlorine for three successive 24-hour periods) and have found no evidence of leaching.
Rick Andrews, the technical manager of the Drinking Water Treatment Unit Certification Program at the NSF, explains that when a company is seeking NSF certification for new container/filter system, NSF requires information about the constituents of the plastic and then tests for leachates they know are associated with those ingredients. Using acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) as an example, they would look for styrene and acrylonitrile leaching into the water. We asked about styrene leaching from the methylmethacrylate copolymer, and he assured us that any polymer that includes a styrene component would be tested for styrene leaching.
For a second opinion, we also checked with the FDA. Their report on styrene methylmethacrylate also found that it may be safely used in repeat contact with foods without risk of leaching.
The bottom line is that The Green Guide sees no reason not to use Brita pitchers so long as they are the correct filter for the contaminants in your tap water.
I don’t have one, but I hadn’t even thought about that plastic, but I suppose the water sits in there for a long time. I keep mine in a glass pitcher.
Yes, but styrene does apparently leach and so taking the Brita company’s word at face value may not be the best source of information. Do a search on styrene safety to see what alternative sources have to say.
Hi Jenny,
Please note that we updated our post to include the whole article on the type of styrene used in Brita pitchers in response to your comment. Hopefully that will help clear up any misconceptions about Brita pitchers.
We find The Green Guide to be a trustworthy source of well-researched information, so we haven’t taken Brita’s word for it.
Alicia
I saw Canada started in motion a ban of BPA last week. I sent a question to Brita about it and received the following written response. I am relieved because our whole family has been using Brita for many years, including regularly mixing powdered baby formula from it.
“Thank you for contacting us about Brita Pour Through System – Classic/Standard Pitcher. We always appreciate hearing from our consumers. The pitcher lids and filter housing is made of Polypropylene plastic. The reservoir and pitchers are made either from NAS (a Styrene based plastic) or SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile). The soft-touch handles are made from an elastomer called Santoprene (not to be confused with Latex or Neoprene). Our products do not contain any bisphenol A and are all tested by the NSF (National Science Foundation) for safety and wetted contact. Unfortunately the pitcher materials are not recyclable therefore do not have a plastic number. Please contact us at any time if you have additional questions.”
Thanks so much for taking the time to post confirmation from Brita, Ryan!
Yes, Brita pitchers do not contain BPA – but their plastic filter cartridges are NOT RECYCLABLE, filling up our landfills and polluting our planet.
The Brita Company in Europe has created a take-back recycling program for their filters. But the Brita Company in North America is owned by Clorox, and they do not have such a program.
Please sign our petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/recycle-used-brita-water-filter-cartridges.html to urge Clorox to take responsibility for its plastic waste as is already being done in Europe.
For more info, please visit our site at http://www.takebackthefilter.org
Spread the word!
Thanks for providing this reassuring information about Brita pitchers! A clarification: the reply Ryan received from Brita identified NSF as the National Science Foundation, which is the wrong NSF in this case. It’s the nonprofit NSF International (formerly the National Sanitation Foundation) that tests water filtration equipment (www.nsf.org). Manufacturers voluntarily seek certification to verify that a product meets the standards claimed (stamped inside the lid of my Brita pitcher). It’s a good sign when a product meets NSF standards because the company chose to pay for testing and certification. Just don’t assume that the product was tested for anything other than the specific standard indicated or that a product without such certification is necessarily inferior.
Kristine Bradof
Center for Science and Environmental Outreach
Michigan Technological University
Thank you Donovan for that petition link. I have been saving all my old filters hoping to someday recycle them. Also, thank you Ryan and Kristine B for the good information.
I was directed to this post from a comment on my blog on a post about drinking tap water and Brita pitchers… This is really helpful. Actually, this whole site is great, I’ll be linking to it from my blog. Thanks!
Just today I realized I didn’t know about the safety of our Britta filter system. I am so pleased to find this information. Thank you for posting the full article.
I would love to have a way to recycle the filters, so thanks for the link. Society is becoming more conscious of these problems of waste and toxic leaching, and I believe the day is coming when companies will assume greater responsibility, just to placate consumers like us!
i have used Brita water pitchers for the past 7 years for myself and my children and wonder if they are safe from leaching any chemicals. I have read all of your questions and replies. When Brita replied to me, they told me the reservoir and pitchers are made either from NAS (a Styrene based plastic) or SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile). Are these materials (NAS and SAN) safe from any chemical leaching? You made me feel comfortable about the safety of styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer, but what about STYRENE ACRYLONITRILE?
please help!
Thanks
I have been using the same Brita pitcher for over 8 years. Every 3 months, I soak the pitcher is dishwater with a bit of bleach added.
Lately, my husband and I notice the water that sits in it over 2 days has a different smell and funny taste.
What might be the cause?
Hi Dee,
I wish I could help you there, but I’ve never had that issue myself or completed research on the subject. I do wonder of the age of the pitcher and the use of bleach could be breaking down the plastic, releasing some of its components.
I would recommend you go ahead and replace the pitcher. Plastic will eventually breakdown. I also think you should contact Brita and inquire about there care instructions, and their recommendations for replacement timing.
Alicia
Dee,
The care instructions indicate to use a mild cleaning agent. I don’t think bleach would qualify. Sorry I don’t have a link to site, but hope that helps.
-B
What about dishwasher cleaning? I wonder if that breaks down the plastic (meaning the heat)?
I just found this site this morning while researching phthalates and it has been so helpful. Thank you.
I almost bought a Brita today and decided I’d come home and check here to see if it is safe. I also read through the Brita website as well and there were a couple of faqs that might be of interest:
1. The pitcher filter system faqs indicate the system is designed only for municipal water, not well water, and they mention microbial contamination as the reason for that recommendation.
2. The system is cleaned by hand-washing and though they don’t comment on dishwasher use, appears in another section that the pitchers are intended for cold-use only.
I hope this helps.
I found this site while researching STYRENE ACRYLONITRILE used in the Breville espresso machine water reservoirs.
Mine has a pungent plastic odor as it sits right beside the boiler and gets very warm. Breville refuses to say if it contains BPA- only that it conforms to CSA and Ul codes. Unfortunately, NSF is the important one, which they have not applied to.
Re: heat from a dishwasher would not be a good idea and heat can cause the breakldown and release of chemicals.
Re: Bleach is also red flagged as breaking chemical bonds with the same result.
Re: cleaning. if fine scratches appear, there is a good chance that you have cavities where bacteria can lodge. Recyle it- it has served you well.
Have a look at Health Canada, the only country that has banned BPA. If you can believe it, we have finally taken a leadership role in something other than maple syrup and hockey!
Update on recycling program for used Brita filters in the US:
http://www.brita.com/us/support/filter-recycling/
I upgraded from a brita to a berkey last year. All the brita filters were costing me over $100/yr. I got the berkey system and these filters last forever. highly recommend!
What about Canada? Anyone know?
Are Brita containers safe from leaching if they sit in a hot car? I am attempting to find a convenient way to transport municipal water from my home to a summer cabin on a remote island where we are on well water. I would prefer to drink my municipal water and I have recently purchased several large Brita pitchers. (I am thinking glass is the safest, but it is quite heavy.)
Any suggestions?
This is very good information to know. My daughter was just talking about getting a Brita for their house. I am glad to know that they will be safe when drinking their water. I just need to convince them not to use plastic bottles when refilling.
This is very good information to know. My daughter was just talking about getting a Brita for their house. I am glad to know that they will be safe when drinking their water. I just need to convince them not to use plastic bottles when refilling.
The plastic may not be the issue, but no simplistic filtration system
can come close to pure water. Round up a stainless steel pitcher,
a 1 gallon stainless steel holding tank and a 3 gallon holding tank.
THEN get a water distiller. I have had mine for a year and a half-it is the ONLY form of pure water and it is the best thing I have EVER bought.
Gaylene
My brother visited me last week and I asked him if I could bring him a glass of water. (I'm always thinking he doesn't get enough water.) As soon as he drank a few gulps he practically choked. “What's IN this water?” I said it was purified….that it was from my Brita water pitcher. He refused to drink it, and I had to take him water from the tap.
It's interesting that he did not like it. (He's a retired civil engineer. And now I'm thinking I'll stop using the Brita pitcher. Although I try to keep it clean, maybe some chemicals did escape into the drinking water. ??
Hi Kay,
We've been using the Brita pitchers for years without any trouble with odd tastes. It is possible that the pitcher needs to be replaced if it's old enough though.
Alicia
Could be, Alicia.
But please define “old enough.”
Thanks.
I think Whole Foods takes Brita filters for recycling, at least as of 2010, at customer service.
My Brita leaches out its smell into my water and I can both smell and taste it in the water that has run through it. How then can it be safe and not be leaching out harmful chemicans? I am just using plain tap water because I cannot find any pitcher that is not made of plastic.